Reviews by Roxann831

Roxann831 says "A wonderful way to end the day" about Guess How Much I Love You

Roxann831 — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 03:32:46 GMT

"Guess How Much I Love You" By Sam McBratney is a wonderful children's book. It is about a baby and daddy rabbit competing over who loves each other more. At the end the dad lets the baby think he wins, but after he falls asleep, tells him he loves him more.

It is a sweet book that captures a conversation most parents have with their kids... one way or another... at some point in their lives. I can't wait to have it with my own son.. for now I'm content winning every time.

It is a cute story that I love reading to my little one before bed because I get to combine reading to him and telling him how much I love him into one step. Luckily, it's pretty short because his attention span isn't quite there with it yet (because the illustrations are kind of monotone and more realistic than cartooned). I think he will appreciate it more in a few months to a year. I would recommend this book for all chilren ages 2 to 8. Read it to your kids tonight and share some warm and fuzzies before bed.

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Roxann831 says "Very well organized site" about PaperBackSwap.com

Roxann831 — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:58:49 GMT

I've just recently started using this site in addition to BookMooch as a way to trade my books. I instantly fell in love with the site when I saw that you could print your postage directly from the site and never have to go to the post office again... yay!! As soon as I browsed the site for a little bit I moved about 80% of my books from my BookMooch inventory to my PaperBackSwap inventory, I was ready to rock. Now, after using both sites for a while I am finding some cons to this site that there aren't on BookMooch and am considering keeping the same inventory on both for more chances to get requests.

PROS

Can ship directly from home by printing a label and paying Paperbackswap directly
More organized as far as customer service and regulating rules
More ways to list your books (To be read, Books I've read, etc.)
Forums for communicating with other members
Can buy credits

CONS

Do not receive credits for books added to inventory (BookMooch gives .1 point)
Can not choose who...

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Roxann831 says "Touching Evil touches everything we try not to think about" about Touching Evil

Roxann831 — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 12:45:47 GMT

Kay Hooper is known for her romance/murder novels to have a great deal of supernatural involved. Most of her books deal with the supernatural of the mind: clairvoyants, telepathics, empaths, etc. In this book, nothing is ruled out: ghosts and reincarnation are suggested. Hooper's writing technique, however, makes the supernatural seem as natural as breathing and dying.

"Touching Evil" is about a police sketch artist that has real "intuition" when it comes to her sketches. She can listen to a woman's story about an attack and draw the attacker to the letter. We all come to find that there's more to Maggie than meets the eye when she gets involved in a case with a perp that is torturing his victims and leaves them clinging to life with one important thing missing... read the book to find out what! :)

This was a very interesting read. I highly recommend it. It has been my favorite out of about 5 of Kay Hooper's I've read so far.

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Roxann831 says "Simply yummy!!" about Avon Far Away Eau de Parfum Spray

Roxann831 — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:50:41 GMT

Today at work I suddenly smelled this amazing scent. I saw one of my co-workers adjusting her makeup and knew it had to have been her that sprayed it. I went back and forth debating on whether I should ask her what it is, because every time I ask her its always the same perfume, and I didn't want to bug her. The smell won the battle though, I figured I would write it down this time because I had to have this. Wouldn't you know, it wasn't the same one, and it was Far Away from Avon.

I'm not very good at describing scents, so all I can really say is that is smells really clean and just totally sexy. Since my description sucks so bad... if you have an Avon representative they can definitely get you a sample, if they don't already have some on hand.

I didn't realize, until looking up a picture for the review, that I already have a bottle of this in my room, unopened. I can't wait to open that bad boy up! :) Anyways, you guys have to try this one... trust me.

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Roxann831 says "Bye bye bumps!" about Avon MagiX Face Perfector SPF 20

Roxann831 — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:40:11 GMT

I ordered this stuff from my mom who sells Avon. I hate my skin so I thought it would be worth a try. When I saw "perfector" in the title I thought it would cover all issues, but I was wrong.

It is just a clear gel you rub on your face. When you're done, you look like you have a clear powder on your face. It smoothes your skin perfectly. All the bumps and creases are gone. Unfortunately, it doesn't do anything for discolorations though. I was really hoping the purple under my eyes and redness would be gone in certain areas, but alas I still needed my concealer. After reading the description again I learned that it doesn't even claim to work on discoloration, but I assumed... and we all know what happens when we assume.

So on bumps and creases it gets an A+, discolorations... an F, SPF 20 gives it an A-, and for the ease of use and lack of mess it gets an A+. That probably averages out to be about a B+, huh? :)

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Roxann831 says "Bye bye crumbs... hello Viewpoints" about Swiffer Carpet-Flick®

Roxann831 — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 03:01:14 GMT

I have a little "corral" in the center of my living-room that I let the baby play in. There's really no clean way to let him eat snacks in there, so they basically the floor ends up being his plate. You all know what that means... animal cracker crumbs all over my carpet. Today, instead of pulling out the vacuum, I pulled out the Swiffer Carpet Flick. I was pleased with how well it picked up the crumbs left behind. Of course Mommy had to pick up the whole ones and big pieces... but my vacuum wouldn't have gotten them either. It was so easy: put the pad on, pick up the crumbs, toss the pad... done. The best part is the free time I had to do reviews on Viewpoints! :)...

Roxann831 says "Wonderful, heartwarming story" about Danielle Steel's "Full Circle" : Movie vs. Book

Roxann831 — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:04:09 GMT

The Story

"Full Circle" traces the story of Tana Roberts from just before her before her conception all the way until her mid-forties. It tells of the trials of her childhood, including a traumatic event that changes the entire path of her life. It shows her college life: friends, enemies, recent events. It follows up to her adult problems: death, loneliness, career, etc.

The Book

The book by Danielle Steel was a very good read. It starts in WWII, where her father served and followed to around Vietnam. It was very descriptive. Steel keeps the reader on a roller coaster of emotion: from angry to sad to mad to happy. The thing I like about the book is that Steel doesn't worry about the readers loving the character at all times. Tana is human and there are times when the reader will absolutely hate her, screaming "Why did you DO that??" (trust me, I scared my husband). The only problem I had is that it was so depressing; if its bad and it can happen, it happens.

****4 1/2 Stars****

The Movie...

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Roxann831 says "Outta my way grease!" about Mean Green Cleaner & Degreaser

Roxann831 — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:13:13 GMT

This stuff is so great. I just read on the directions yesterday all of the great things you can use it for: laundry, floor, carpets, etc. I've only ever used it as a general degreaser. I use it to clean my stove-top, range, and soak my burner covers and handles in it. It tackles grease like no body's business. I spray down my stove top and start to soak my burner covers and handles. By the time I'm done wiping down the stove and range, the burner covers are ready to be wiped down and rinsed. The grease just melts right off. I will have to try this in laundry and other uses and let you know how it goes. Right now I call tell you it is an awesome degreaser and I highly recommend it. Greatest part... you buy it at the DOLLAR store. :)...

Roxann831 says "If I were only allowed one piece of cookware this would be it!" about Calphalon Kitchen Essentials Styleware Covered 3-qt Pan

Roxann831 — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:15:59 GMT

I got this pan for Christmas last year. *Hanging my head in shame* It took me three months before I finally pulled it out of the trunk of my car and brought it in to use it. I was upset at first that my mother got me cookware... something I learned at a young age never to get a woman as a gift. The first time I used it I learned why it was the exception.

This little baby is AWESOME! It is very non-stick which makes it easy to cook in and VERY easy to clean up afterwards. My food actually TASTES better when I cook it in this. It has uniform heat distribution which helps with that whole "one piece of meat is cooked and the other is still frozen" problem. The handle is made out of a stay-cool plastic, which makes cooking faster (no reaching for a pot holder every time you want to touch the pan) and more comfortable. The large size makes it easy to stir things without spill-overs. I really can't say enough about this pan. Hopefully my next statement will explain it all... If I cook a meal that...

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Roxann831 says "Not so great the way they come... but with a little creativity.." about 3M Command Hook Medium

Roxann831 — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:50:00 GMT

I have these hooks all over my apartment... I just don't use them the way they came. The adhesive part really disappointed me, it took off a chunk of plaster with the paint in my sons room... then in other places the hooks just fall off (I add super glue... shhh... don't tell the landlord). I have these hanging on the insides of my kitchen sink holding my bottle brush and dish rags. They're hanging on the sides of my cabinets that border my stove and hold my pot holders and measuring cups. I have one on the side of my dishwasher that I use to hold the hoses upright when not in use. Basically, I only use these in places that are okay to add superglue (tile, my personal items, and unfinished wood). The regular adhesive is too strong on paint, but not strong enough on tile, wood, or metal.

I don't want to completely give them a bad rep... I can't see how they could possibly still be in production if they always ripped pain and plaster off of the wall. It might be that my lanlord did a really...

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Roxann831 says "The ten things that keep me organized at home" about Roxann's Top 10 things for organization

Roxann831 — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:06:47 GMT

I have struggled since Junior High with my organization skills... just ask Mr. B, my 7th grade Dean... he even signed me up for a class on organization. As a wife, mother, and office worker I am learning the importance of organization and picking up helpful hints to keep me that way. I thought I'd make a top ten list on here to share these with all of you.

In no particular order...

Clothes Pins- I use these to clip on to my clothes hanging in the closet (like a poor woman's huggable hanger). They keep my clothes on the hangers and off my closet floor. Nuff said! ;)

Over the door laundry bag - I didn't like what these did when hung over my door (got caught once.... snapped and sent a piece flying at my face.... ouch). Now I have them hanging on the wall in my bedroom with Hercule's Hooks (see below). I like that these: are the perfect size for a load in my washer, give me more floor space without hampers, are cheap enough that I can buy one for every type of load I do (darks, lights, whites,...

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Roxann831 says "I am now in love with TWO big bald men!" about Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

Roxann831 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 03:21:02 GMT

I had been wanting to clean my hallway walls for weeks. They were FILTHY!! Last night, right before bed, I was in a cleaning mood so I decided to just do it. I had my spray cleaner out and was under the sink looking for a sponge. The only thing I could find was a Mr. Clean magic eraser. I have no idea where it came from, as I don't remember buying it. It wasn't even wrapped. I decided, what the heck, and tried it.

I just wet it, squeezed it, and wiped. There was no foam, no elbow grease, nothing. My walls were clean in no time flat with minimal effort on my part. I did feel like I was using a giant eraser (minus those annyoing pink shavings) on my wall. The only complaint I have is that they didn't hold up very well. After just cleaning my hall the sponge went super thin and got filled with holes (picture included). It honestly didn't bother me that bad though. Even if they are always only good for one use, I would still buy a case of them after my experience last night. I was very impressed....

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Roxann831 says "An amazing story I would read over and over again" about For One Last Day

Roxann831 — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 01:44:09 GMT

I have been waiting so patiently for this book to become available on bookmooch and finally it did. The day it came (yesterday) I sat up until 2 a.m. finishing the novel I was currently reading so that I could start on it the next morning. I think it total it took me about 2 1/2 hours to read this book. It was an amazing read from start to finish. I couldn't put it down for anything. It is about a suicidal ex-baseball player who gets one more day with his dead mother to learn family secrets, repent, and feel the mother's love he has missed so dearly.

It was a very quick read and so very easy as well. When I saw the cover I got a little nervous because it looks like one of those old fashioned, shakespearean type books. Luckily it was quite the opposite. I could have easily read this in Junior High School. It had me laughing, crying, sighing, cursing.... needless to say it was a rollercoaster of emotions. I just finished reading it literally 10 minutes ago. As soon as I was done I couldn't...

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Roxann831 says "Oh honey.. look what I made :)" about Boston Market - Countryside, IL

Roxann831 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:12:53 GMT

I haven't been to Boston Market in about 6 years. I was recently invited to do a buzz campaign at bzzagent.com for them though. Boy have things changed! The reason I haven't gone there sooner is because I didn't think there was a drive thru (everything is less convenient with a 1 year old). I was pleasantly surprised when I got there to find one. The kid behind the window was very friendly too.

My husband and I both got the meatloaf. I got the mac and cheese and the sweet potato casserole as my sides and hubby got the mashed potatoes and coleslaw as his. They were both so delicious!! If I wanted to I could have snuck it home and told my husband I made it myself. It tasted so homemade. They use all fresh ingredients. It was so nice to be able to drive out of a drive-thru with food that I could be proud to present to my family. We didn't have to feel guilty about the calories we were consuming, gag on greasy fried foods, or wonder if what we were eating came from an animal, mineral, or machine....

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Roxann831 says "About as powerful as a locomotive, faster than a speeding bullet" about Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber

Roxann831 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:16:03 GMT

I bought Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber a few months ago. I used it once, after not cleaning my tub for an embarrassingly long time. I liked the convenience of it but wasn't too impressed with the amount of elbow grease I had to use to get my tub clean.

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago and I was invited to do a campaign for BzzAgent.com on this product. I signed up reluctantly because I figured I'd give it another shot. I am so glad I did..

This product is really nice because it is convenient. When I need to scrub my tub I have the handle already sitting on the back of my toilet, I just reach over and grab the tub of pads, slap one on and go to town. When I'm done, I just toss the pad in the trash, put the handle back on the back of my toilet, and voila... mission accomplished! :)

I like the soft grip of the handle... it's really nice with my carpel tunnel. And, for the record, it is just powerful enough for people that actually clean their tubs more than once a millennium....

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Roxann831 says "Definately nothing like the commercial" about K-Y Yours + Mine Couples Lubricant

Roxann831 — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:02:03 GMT

Okay, so if you haven't seen the commercial for K-Y Yours + Mine lubricant, this is how it plays out...

A modest looking couple are sitting in bed talking about K-Y Yours + Mine lubrication. They say that his feels like this, hers feels like this.... but when they come together...then it cuts off and you see a black and white clip of a couple dancing. When the commercial cuts back to the couple they are shown smiling under the covers of their bed and looking a lot less modest.

So this commercial had me and apparently a lot of people in my area (it was sold out the first couple weeks at 3 different stores I went to) wondering what happens when they come together. Enough so to pay $19.99 for it.

This is how it works... you get two vials. One is a blueish color (his) and one is a pinkish purple (hers). I suggest taking the lids off and removing the paper covers before you use them because squeezing and shaking them like crazy wondering why nothing is coming out kind of ruins the mood.......

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Roxann831 says "The Universal office software" about Microsoft Excel 2007

Roxann831 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:25:26 GMT

I just recently got upgraded at work to Office 2007. Wooooohooo! I absolutely love the new Excel! I took a couple days and played around with it to learn where all my old functions are (and some new ones too). Now that I am familiar with it I am in love. Everything is much easier to find now, it is aesthetically more pleasing to the eye, and it is still my one-stop-shop at work.

If I had to get rid of all my Office programs except for one, Excel would be the one I would keep. I can do just about everything on there... type letters, create lists, make flyers, make tables/graphs, etc. I know this program may look tricky at first, but play with it for a while and you will never want to go back to Excel 2003.

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Roxann831 says "Honor your loved one with a website" about Memory-of.com

Roxann831 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:19:12 GMT

I caught this website about a year ago when looking up a friend that had passed away. It is an on-line memorial site (like a Myspace page for the deceased). Back in March, when my beloved grandma passed away, I remembered this site and created one for her (shirley-bellavia.memory-of.com).

It is very easy to create a site.

You pick a layout out of a list of about 20 that they have.
You enter your loved one's general information (Name, date of birth, date of death, etc.)
They create a general website from that information.
You can go in with an established password and add pictures, video, sound clips, timeline information, legacy information, or other information about the person.
You can set the site so that only people you invite can see it or make it public.
Visitors of the site can then go on and light a candle (quick little remembrance) or leave a tribute or condolence (as long as you want... we use it to write to my grandma the things we wish we could say)

The sites are free...

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Roxann831 says "Finally a breakfast that's fast, easy, and healthy" about Dunkin Donuts Egg white and turkey sausage flat bread sandwich

Roxann831 — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:36:08 GMT

I just discovered these yesterday and had to go back for one today. They are delicious and good for you too!!! My one shame is that I eat breakfast on the go every morning. I've been worried about what that was doing for my health, even though I always tried to order the healthiest thing I could (seriously, until these nothing was REALLY healthy... just the lesser of two evils). Eating these do not make me feel guilty any more and they taste wonderful... you can barely taste the health food until you get a big bite of spinach (only happens about once or twice per serving).

INGREDIENTS

Egg whites
Spinach
Multi-grain flat bread
turkey sausage
low-fat mozzarella cheese

NUTRITION FACTS

Serving Size 1 sandwich
Calories 280
Calories from Fat 50 % Daily Value
Total Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 2.5g 13%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 20mg 7%
Sodium 820mg 34%
Total Carbohydrates 37g 12%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 5g
Protein 19g ...

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Roxann831 says "Where the customer is at LEAST their 3rd priority" about Ron Westphal Chevrolet - Oswego, IL

Roxann831 — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:40:04 GMT

This place made me so mad. This is the dealer that financed our cars we bought from Tri Star. While my husband was changing his battery (read the review from Tri Star) I had to run over to Westphal with the baby to sign the financing papers. A lady approached me and asked if she could help me. I told her I was looking for Dan. She asked my name and I gave it to her first and last. She came out of Dan's office and asked me if he was expecting me. When I said, yes, that I was there to sign some financing papers, she said that he was on a call and would be with me in a minute. Then his name came over the speaker for another call and she laughed and said, "okay maybe a few minutes". So there I stood in the middle of the showroom waiting for Dan, holding my 12-month baby. The showroom was warm and I was sweating from holding this wiggly little baby and rocking back to transfer the weight so my back doesn't give out. Keep in mind there were 4 guys in the showroom that would look over at us every...

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